Light-circuit interrupter



May 18,1926. 1,584,856

C. H. HAUCK LIGHT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Filed April 29, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M75 WM VKJw Ma May 18 1926.

C. H. HAUCK LIGHT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Filed April 29, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 18, 1926.

UNITE CARL H. HA'UOK, or CHICAGO, ILrInoIs.

' LIGHT-CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

Application filed April 29, 1922. Serial No. 557,247.

This invention relates to mechanism for controlling circuits for decorative lighting and other purposes, and has for its object the provision of mechanism of the class named which shall be of improved construction and operation. I

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 represents theinvention as applied to Christmas tree lighting.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an electric circuit embodying one form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a circuit interrupter comprised in the invention.

Fig. 4 is an elevation with parts in section on line 4.--4l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In many kinds of decorative lighting and especially in lighting for Christmas trees the artistic efiect can be very greatly increased by imparting a twinkling or flickering in the incandescent lights employed for the purpose. As is well known, the original lighting for Christmas trees was produced by the use of candles distributed about the foliage of the tree. The flickering of the candles produced a pleasing efiect, which is not present in the steady burning incandescent lights which have more recently supplanted the original candles. Incandescent bulbs have been made which simulate the candles in appearance, but the steady burning filament fails to reproduce the appearance of the candle flame because of the fact that the candle does not give the uniform unvarying light of the ordinary filament incandescent bulb.

Applicants invention provides means for varying the intensity of the glow of the filament by periodically interrupting the current a suflicient length of time to permit the filament to partially cool but not entirely lose its glow. The effect of such interruption very closely resembles the flickering of the candle flame and greatly increases the beauty of the decorations.

It has also been a time-honored custom to place a star at the apex of the Christmas tree, typifying the Star of Bethlehem which served as a guide 1 for the three wise men from the East. Incandescent stars for this purpose have been manufactured and it is. found that they can be by the present inmay, of course, be used and as many lights.

will be employed as found desirable. A distributing block 13 may be located in a convenient place, and the circuitsl for the groups of lights are'arranged in parallel from bus-bars 15 on the distributing block. Current is supplied to the bus-bars 15 by conductors 16. In one or the other of the conductors 16' there is placed in series a current agitator or interrupter 17, which is driven by a motor 18, the construction and arrangement being shown best in Figs. 4 and 5. A. cylinder of dielectric material 19 is provided with one or more segments of conducting -material 20. The cylinder is connected with the motor 18 by suitable gearing such as shown at 21. In the form illustrated a worm and worm wheel reduction is used, so that thesp'eed of the interrupter is reduced to approximately 450 revolutions per minute. A pair of brushes 22 are arranged in axial alignment with the interrupter 19, so that the brushes 22 are periodically connected by the segments 20 and subsequently disconnected when the brushes are brought to bear upon the dielectric rotor. The speed of rotation should be sufiicient to interrupt the current long enough to permit the filament to be dimmed but not entirely darkened, after which the filament is brought to full incandescence when the brushes bear upon the next conductor segment 20. The interrupter is mounted in a suitable supporting block 23, in which the brushes 2 1 are seated. Sleeves 25 may be provided for the brushes, and springs 26 are arranged to press the brushes against the interrupter. Conductor strips 27 connect the brush holders with terminals 28, to which the portions of the line 16 are connected. The motor 18 for driving the interrupter is arranged in parallel with the lighting circuit and both motor and lighting circuit may be connected with the same cord 29 having a plug 30 for connection with the supply line 31, which may be the ordinary house circuit. Either direct or alternating current may be used, and the motor 18 is preferably a universal motor which will operate on either form of current.

lVliile I have shown an interrupter having three conductor segments, it will be apparent that the number of segments may be varied and that the frequency of interruptions may be changed to produce varying effects. It has been found from experience that from one to three segments produce pleasing effects with a rotation of 4:50 revolutions per minute.

Other changes in the details of construction within the spirit and scopeof the illvention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Vhile I have described the invention particularly as applied to Christmas tree illumination, it may be used for various forms of decorative lighting other than those specifically illustrated.

I claim:

1. The combination with a decorativeelectric lighting system having incandescent lights formed to simulate well known sources of light, of means for interrupting the current supply to said system so as to produce a wavering in the light similar to that of the source simulated, the number of interruptions being approximately from 450 to 1350 per minute.

2. The combination with a decorative electric light system having incandescent lights formed to simulate well known sources of wavering light, of means for interrupting the current supplied to said system, the interruptions being of sufiicient duration to perceptibly dim the incandescence of said lights without entirely darkening them so as to produce a wavering in the lights of said system similar to that of the sources simulated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 26th day of April A. D. 1922.

CARL I-I. HAUCK. 

